Roses in Winter: a Fairytale Revisited
by Akane-Rei
Summary: The retelling of an old fairytale with the cast of RK. This will be a dark fanfiction. K x B pairing
1. Chapter One: Journey's End

Author's note: Before reading further, please note that this will be a dark fanfiction. Beneath every good fairytale is a hint of menace that sometimes goes unnoticed. Let's face it, fairytales are popular as children's literature; hence, the emphasis on the evil (e.g. parents abandoning their little children in the woods or children encountering cannibalistic old women bent on fattening them up) gets buried beneath the ingeniousness of leaving a trail of shiny pebbles or defeating the old witch in her own game. As such, let this be my only warning that if you do NOT like dark fanfiction (and everything else that accompanies that genre) please refrain reading this piece of work. I have no wish to offend anyone.

_Beauty and the Beast_ has been my favorite fairytale ever since my mother bought me the book over twenty years ago. It was the first fairytale I've ever read. Hopefully, I do it justice in this retelling. Please note that this does **not** follow Disney's _Beauty and the Beast_ version. While Disney's _Beauty and the Beast _is one of my favorite Disney movies as it does justice to this timeless tale, this version will follow that fairytale I read a long, long time ago…coupled with a few of my own twists and turns.

* * *

**Roses in Winter: a Fairytale Revisited - A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction**

_**Chapter One: Journey's End**_

It was not a good day to die.

That thought reverberated around his head as he slowly trudged through the snow-covered land, pulling at his miserable excuse of a donkey at the same time. The wind was howling a monstrous cry as it bit every exposed piece of flesh he had. His face felt numb, his fingers like icicles and yet he moved on, one step forward at a time. Failure was not an option. He had duties, responsibilities…_daughters_ to be exact. Motherless daughters who were waiting for him, counting on him. He needed to _live, _to survive if only for them.

Not for the first time, he cursed his rotten luck. A_s_ he made his way through the seemingly endless deluge of snow, the constant barrage of _if only's _danced around his brain. If only he had waited a few more days to travel back to Tokyo. If only his caravan was not attacked by a band of robbers skilled in the art of the sword. If only there had been more than one skilled swordsman (namely him) present in his caravan. If only his horse had not suffered the same fate as all the imported goods he had bought. If only this god-forsaken winter storm had held off for a day or two. If only, if only, if only.

As it was, here he was, stuck in the middle of nowhere between Kyoto and Tokyo, dragging what had got to be one of the sorriest looking animal he had ever laid eyes on in his life. He encountered the mangy beast of burden as he staggered across the deserted road (or what he assumed to be a road). The people in his caravan had scattered like the four winds during the attack. He hoped most of them had made it to safety. He couldn't say that he really blamed them for leaving him by the side of the road. He must have looked like a corpse after the leader of the bandits had knocked him senseless. That's what he gets for playing the hero.

He gave himself a self-deprecating grin. Hard to do anything else when he was the only one of his fellow travelers carrying a weapon. Granted that the weapon was just a shinai. He sighed. He couldn't really blame the leader for not taking him too seriously. He was just lucky that all they did was knock him out. Of course, now, he wondered whether they did him a favor. Miraculously waking up in the middle of what could only be one of the worst blizzards he had ever seen, he had at first silently wondered whether hell was a cold, cold place. As odd as it seemed his bleeding, cracked lips were his first indications that he may very well see another day. For surely, he couldn't be this cold and _bleeding _in the afterlife?

And so, he started again on his journey, going in the direction he _thought _may be the right one. Hours later was when he encountered the ungrateful donkey whom, at first sight, had also seemed like a corpse. It was upon closer inspection that he realized that the animal was stuck in some sort of rut buried under three feet of snow. Well, never let it be said that Koshijiro Kamiya was one to ignore any living thing in need (his oldest daughter, Megumi, would have something to say about that); and so, he proceeded to do what was the only thing in good conscience he could do and that was free the said donkey. And what was the thanks he got? A good kick in the gut was what! As if he didn't feel like he was beaten to hell and back already.

So here he was, on his way to the gods only knew where, stuck with a wretch of a companion (which was better than none, he supposed). Although, given the amount of pulling he had been doing lately, he had to wonder whether perhaps he should have left the animal at the side of the road. He stopped and turned to look at his companion, pathetic looking creature that it was.

"Hey," he whispered, his voice quivering at the cold. "We need to move." He watched the warmth of his breath swirl above his face. He heard the animal make a whining and feeble sound. He turned again and pulled at the rope determinedly. "We need to move," he said again, only to feel his face run smack in front of…an iron gate?

Falling down in his behind, he felt himself sink slightly as the snow-covered ground gave way to his weight. He stared ahead of him almost bemusedly, wondering if there was such a thing as a mirage in a blizzard. Slowly, he stood up and made a move to approach the gate, only to have his donkey of a companion whiny and pull the rope he held him with back.

"What?" he asked. "I'm just making sure I actually see that it's there," he reasoned, before catching himself. "I'm talking to a donkey," he told himself. Again, he made a move towards the huge iron bars, rubbing his eyes along the way. His donkey made another whine of protest, which he ignored this time. He dropped the rope he had been pulling the donkey with and approached the gates, his face peering between the heavy bars.

What he saw almost made him lose his breath. It was a rose garden in full bloom. In winter. A winter rose garden. He stared at the sharp contrast the blood-red roses made against the snowy whiteness covering the vast expanse that was the garden. In one blinding moment, he thought that maybe, just maybe, he won't have to come home empty-handed. Maybe, he could bring one of his daughters her dearest wish.

—FLASHBACK—

_He laughed joyfully at his daughter's antics against each other. Truly they were a blessing to watch. Megumi, who took after her mother and her healing arts, was always good at baiting her two younger siblings—most especially his middle daughter, Kaoru. Kaoru, torn between the lady-like influence of his late wife and the more manly pursuit of running the family business like her father, seemed to always rise to Megumi's teasing. As for the youngest, Misao, that one was going to be a tomboy through and through. Already chafing at the restrictions of female clothing, Misao had convinced her elder sisters to make her something that would be a compromise between the modesty of women's clothing and the practicality of men's clothes. Kaoru, always a push-over when it came to her baby sister, first attempted this endeavor, only to end up giving the task to Megumi after the task of sewing defeated her._

"_Father," he heard Megumi's voice break through the incessant chatter of Misao. "Will you be gone long this time?"_

_Kaoru looked up. "I didn't know you were leaving," she said accusingly. _

"_That's because I just found out today myself," he explained to her suspicious eyes._

"_I'm going with you," she stated and made a move to leave the room. He knew, he just knew that she was about to pack her bags._

"_Kaoru," he said in as stern a voice as he could, "No, you're not."_

_She approached him deliberately. "Father," she began reasonably, "how will I ever learn about the ins and outs of running this dojo when you don't take me with you on these business and training trips?"_

_He shook his head. "I don't want you traveling, Kaoru," he firmly stated. "And that's final."_

_He saw her open her mouth as she made a move to gainsay him, but he raised his hand up to stop her. "No, Kaoru," he said. He stared her down and gave her a look that brooked no argument. For all her argumentative nature, Kaoru always knew when to back down with her father._

"_Now," he said in a much lighter tone, "what would you girls like for me to bring you when I get back?"_

"_Presents?" Misao's eyes gleamed. That one did like presents._

_He laughed. "Yes, presents," he responded._

"_I'd like more kunais!" she gleefully replied. "I keep losing the ones I have."_

"_That's because you throw them everywhere," Megumi said despairingly. "I found some of those decorating the side of the dojo this morning."_

"_Really?" asked Misao. She jumped up and down and made a beeline for the doorway. Before she was completely outside, however, she ducked her head back in to say, "I'd still like new ones, Father. Please?"_

_He smiled and nodded his agreement. New kunais for Misao it is. He looked expectantly at his other two daughters. While Megumi's eyes were deep in thought, Kaoru's ire could still be observed. "Kaoru," he said coaxingly, "it's not nice to pout."_

_An indignant gasp escaped her lips as her older sister smirked._

"_I know what I want," said Megumi._

_He turned to her with a nod of his head._

"_I'll write down the ingredients I need for a new poultice I wanted to try out," she continued. "Since you're going to Kyoto, they should be more readily available there." She exited the room with a thoughtful look on her face._

_Which left him alone with his irate second daughter._

"_You're being over-protective," she said reproachfully. "I am an Assistant Master to the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. I can take care of myself."_

_He nodded. "Yes, I understand that, Kaoru," he said gently, "but with that, you must know that our art is one of protection. These are dangerous times and there are other deadlier styles out there that use a real sword." He paused and walked in front of her. Lifting her chin up, he said, "Part of being the Assistant Master to our Art is to know our limitations." He smiled. _

_She shook her head._

"_Kaoru," he said mock sternly, "look at it this way. Let me do the traveling while I am able. It does me good to know that I can do this thing for you and your sisters. When I am old and decrepit, I will insist that you do the traveling—unless…you have a husband. Then that unworthy idiot can do the honors."_

_A small grin broke across her face. "Ha! As if I'd marry a spineless idiot of your dreams," she exclaimed. _

"_Truce?" he questioned, holding both hands up._

_She nodded, a smile appearing in the corner of her mouth. "Promise to come home safely, okay?"_

"_Of course!" he said incredulously. "As if the Master of the Kamiya Kashhin Ryu could do any other." He looked at her expectantly. "Well, what would you like me to bring you when I get back?" he asked._

_She shook her head again. "Just come home safely," she repeated._

"_Ah…come on," he cajoled, putting his arm over her shoulders. "It would make me feel better for not allowing you to come with me."_

_She gave a small smile and leaned against him. "Well, I don't really need anything," she said thoughtfully. _

"_Something frivolous then," he suggested helpfully. _

"_I know," she said, jumping up and facing him. "Bring me a flower."_

"_A flower?" he asked with a frown. "How about something nicer? Like a new ribbon with your favorite color?"_

_She shook her head. "No," she responded. "Just a flower. A rose, in fact. A nice, beautiful rose."_

_He sighed at her antics and shook his head. "Alright," he said. "A rose it is." _

—END FLASHBACK—

And so, he stared at the wondrous rose garden, hardly believing his eyes. The cold, which moments ago dominated his thoughts, was forgotten as he pressed his face even closer against the iron bars. His cheek barely felt the icy metal as his hands gripped the gate tightly. His body slowly leaned against the structure when, much to his surprise, the gate swung heavily open giving way to his weight.

He stumbled, almost losing his balance. Catching himself, he proceeded slowly inside, looking furtively to the sides as if expecting someone to show up. He heard a protesting whine from the donkey, which again he ignored.

_Magical,_ he thought. _This place was magical._

Upon entering the garden, he felt the sudden difference in the air, a shift in the atmosphere. While a blizzard raged outside, here beyond the gate and its high walls, the snow fell gently, lightly caressing the flowers in bloom. The flowers were radiant, full of life. There was a calmness in the air, a peace.

_For Kaoru, _he thought, as his fingers gently ran over the petals of the closest flower at hand. He smelled the sweet scent of it, the soft hint of mystery. His heart pounded madly in his chest as slowly, reverently, he sliced the stem using a small blade of the kunai hidden in his sleeve. And then, just then as his kunai cleanly cut through the stem, he saw a flash of amber just before he felt his arm yanked painfully back. His whole body went flying across the garden at the sheer force of strength that dragged him from the roses.

Gasping in pain and fear that he had dislocated his shoulder, he looked up at the shadow that loomed before him. His eyes caught the glint of the steel blade pressed precariously close to his jugular and he followed the line of the sword to the hand that held it. And from that hand, his pain-filled eyes looked up even more to see the face of his attacker.

For a moment, his breath stopped as his pulsed raced and he wondered for the first time since he found himself lying beneath an overturned cart and several inches of snow, he wondered if perhaps the cold won't be the one to kill him this day.

"Thief," those feral amber eyes hissed at him.

He shook his head vehemently. No, no, no. He was no thief. He just wanted a flower. A simple flower for Kaoru. He didn't know that anyone owned it, that anyone would even live here. He had to make him understand. He wouldn't have taken…he would have paid…and he gasped as he noticed the scent of blood in the air. His blood.

In his silent denial, he had accidentally cut himself slightly against the sword held against his neck. He watched the blood drip from the edge of the blade. He tried to back away slowly as to avoid the sharp steel only to find it follow his movements. He swallowed carefully.

"Please," he said carefully, "please, I did not mean to steal. I did not know…"

"You think your ignorance will save you, thief?" the low voice growled at him.

He stared helplessly at the stranger's face, hidden in the shadows except for those dangerous eyes. This man, this thing, this beast with a man's voice stood firmly, steadily against the cold holding his sword ready to kill him. From where he sat, he felt the wind pick up and regain its bite. He watched the tangled blood-red mane of the beast move with the wind, as if in agreement with the escalating storm.

"Please," he said again, "I have children whom I love."

"Those are not my concern, thief," he replied, his voice as cold as the wind.

He closed his eyes at the futility of begging from this monster. _My daughters, _he thought. Again, one last time, he attempted, "I would have paid. I just wanted to give my daughter a rose—" he heard the quick sound of blade cutting through air and felt the sword stop just before it would have severed his head.

He opened his eyes to find the monster staring at him intently.

"You wish to live?" he asked, his voice deceptively soft.

"Yes," he whispered. _For my daughters, _he thought. He felt himself dragged by the scuff of his neck and found himself staring eye to eye with a killer. He flinched when he saw the scarred visage.

"Will you do anything to live?" he whispered softly.

And, in a moment of foolishness, he said, "Yes, I would." _For my daughters only, _he thought.

He saw a hint of a cruel smile form around the edges of his mouth as he was unceremoniously dropped on the ground.

"Your daughter will take your place," the monster's word echoed around his brain.

"Wait!" he called, as his would-be killer turned his back. "No!" He approached him from behind, crawling on his knees, and grasped at the sleeve of his clothing. "No," he repeated, "I will not—"

"Too late," he growled in reply.

Just then, a horse, dark as midnight appeared from nowhere and Koshijiro found himself lifted up and dumped on the saddle.

"This horse will take you home," the beast stated. "It will also bring your daughter here."

He felt his face pulled up and found himself once again staring into amber eyes of death. "It will bring me the daughter for whom the roses were for," he hissed. "Tell her …tell her that Battousai awaits her presence. Renege on this and I will find you."

And with that, the Hitokiri Battousai of legends slapped the horse's reins just before Koshijiro felt himself lose consciousness.

To Be Continued


	2. Chapter Two: Coming Home

**Roses in Winter: a Fairytale Revisited - A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction**

_**Chapter Two: Coming Home **_

For what perhaps was the fourth time this hour, Kaoru glanced at the road outside her home. And for the fourth time this hour, not so much as a hint of a traveler had appeared in the distance. She pursed her lips into a frown. She had expected Father to arrive last week and had been watching the road for any sign of his appearance since then. Okay, to be honest, she _had _been expecting her father to arrive last week, but had started watching the road for him the week earlier. She was a worrier at heart, as her sisters would often mention, and try as she might she never could get rid of the habit. And that was why, on this freezing afternoon, she was sitting by the steps outside her family dojo staring beyond yonder.

She brushed strands of stray hair across her face, and sighed. While she _was _a worrier, she had to admit even to herself that she had been behaving uncharacteristically more anxious than usual. She couldn't quite explain it. There was this tension in the air, this prickly feeling she would get that had nothing to do with the cold weather. She was jumpier, more so than usual that even Misao—often more focused on her training than anything else—had noticed it. She had that sense of expectation, anticipation, almost an eternal feeling of bated breath. And this waiting, this constant _waiting, _was driving her up the walls.

He _should _be here by now. Father was usually correct on his travel estimations. He had learned a long time ago the consequences of leaving his daughters waiting for indeterminate amounts of time. He was sometimes a day or so off, but never (at least none that she could remember) a week. What was taking him so long?

Her over-active imagination was running rampant and none of the scenes she had in her mind were any good. Something had to be wrong. There had to be a reason for that twist of nervousness in her gut, that sickly sensation.

"Kaoru," her sister voice came up from behind her, "you're getting your kimono dirty sitting down there at the steps."

She frowned and turned to face Megumi. "It's fine," she replied. She smiled, "I placed a cloth underneath to prevent just that." She turned back to face the road and heard her sister sigh behind her. To her surprise, she found Megumi crouching down to join her.

"Then why don't you share some of that cloth this way," she said, her voice slightly impatient as she crouched down to join her sister.

Kaoru's face broke into an understanding smile as she scooted over to give Megumi some space. Megumi was always irritable when she's worried. Seeing her own sister worried, however, gave Kaoru mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was satisfying to know that she wasn't being totally unreasonable in her agitation. Megumi's level-headed presence gave substance to her worry. On the other hand, _Megumi's level-headed presence gave substance to her worry_. It made the reality of her father's lateness even starker.

With a sigh, she leaned against her sister in silent support. She felt Megumi's arm rest on her shoulders as the weight in her chest grew heavier. _Where was he? _

Just then, she felt someone squirm between her and Megumi.

"I don't want my clothes to get dirty either," Misao stated.

Kaoru laughed, joined by Megumi. "Since when did that become one of your concerns?" she asked teasingly, pulling at her sister's braid.

Misao gave her a mock frown and a pointed glare before slumping her shoulders dejectedly. "Where is he?" she voiced their unasked question. She looked down on her kunais as she played with them between her fingers.

With no answer to give, Kaoru and Megumi took each of Misao's hands and held them silently. And there, hand in hand, the three sisters held their vigil.

It was perhaps hours later when they heard a slight commotion in the horizon. Squinting her eyes against the setting sun, Kaoru attempted to see the source of the ruckus. Amongst the cloud of dust that began to appear, the shape of a horse and…a rider? emerged. The pace they set was neither fast nor slow as they approached her and her sisters.

Kaoru stood slowly, her hand going to her throat. The rider…the rider of the black horse seemed unconscious. With careful steps, she went to the road to meet horse and rider, aware of her sisters following closely behind. The closer she got to the visitors, the faster her steps went. The knot of dread that was her gut made itself even more felt as she began to see the form on top of the horse.

"Father," she whispered, running now, trying to suppress the feeling of nausea that made its way to her throat. She saw as the horse itself began to gallop towards her in earnest, only to stop abruptly once reaching her. With a choked sob, she approached the side of the horse, gasping at the rusty smell of dried blood that permeated her nose. She touched her father's shoulder, as if to gently waken. "Father," she whispered again, hoping for some response.

* * *

"Let's get him to the house," urged Megumi, her voice trembling as she noticed the pallor of her father's face. "Let's get him to the house now!" she ordered, suddenly pulling at the horse that carried her father towards their home.

She ran as fast as her feet would take her, leading the horse along the way. She had to keep a clear head, she had to be steady. Her father was hurt, maybe dying.

_But not dead yet._

"Call Dr. Genzai!" she ordered Kaoru once they've reached the dojo.

She saw Kaoru shake her head. "Let me help you bring him inside first," she said as quiet tears fell on her cheeks. She turned to her young sister, "Misao, get some hot water ready please."

Misao nodded, her hand in her mouth, unable to speak. "Will he be alright?" she asked with a tremor. "Will he be alright?" she shouted to her sisters, clearly distressed.

Megumi took a deep breath before turning to her. "Please Misao," her eyes pleaded, "help us take care of him."

Misao bit her lip hard, before nodding, her eyes never leaving her father.

"Get us some hot water, Misao," Megumi repeated gently but firmly. Once Misao obeyed, she turned to Kaoru, who was untying the straps that held their father to the horse. She took down the bags that were tied to the horse also, so that they wouldn't get in the way of her father's descent. "Ready?" she asked.

Kaoru nodded. "I think we can lift him up now," she replied, digging her heel on the ground. "You take that side, I'll take this."

Megumi nodded. "Have you seen where the blood is coming from?" she asked, concerned. "We don't want to aggravate something more than it is already."

Kaoru shook her head. "But Megumi," she said softly, "it smells of old blood."

Megumi nodded and grunted as her father's weight settle on her shoulders. Slowly, but with great efficiency, she and Kaoru carried their father inside the house to his room. There, they laid him gently in his cot, and began to work on his clothes, one by one.

Their search for the source of blood was finally revealed when they saw his throat. Jagged cuts adorned his neck like a necklace, but Megumi was relieved to notice that the sour stench of infection was not present.

"I've got water!" yelled Misao as she burst in.

"I'll fetch Dr. Genzai," Kaoru stated once Misao appeared to help Megumi.

Megumi nodded almost absently, her focus on her father. "Hurry," she said under her breath. "He's unconscious, but there's no infection that I can see. Let him know that he has a high fever of indeterminate cause. That should give him enough information to bring any other medicines he might need that we don't have here."

Not waiting of a reply, Megumi began cleaning her father's wounds, aware of Misao's watchful gaze.

"Will he be okay?" Misao asked again, her eyes filling with tears.

"Of course he is," Megumi answered, trying to instill some confidence in her voice. "We need more water, Misao. And get that box of medicine from my room too, please."

She noticed Misao give a slight pause before running to the next room. She licked her suddenly dry lips as her full attention turned once again to her father. _He had to be okay._

* * *

Misao tried to hold back the tears. She really did. She choked back on her sobs and held on to her cries as she followed her sister's orders. But, as she entered her sister's room and leaned down to grab the black box containing Megumi's concoctions, the blurred vision of her hands were her only warning as she felt her silent tears fall copiously over her hands and Megumi's medicine box. She felt a knot deep in her throat try to escape and make that first keening sound, but she wouldn't let it. Wouldn't let it.

She had to be strong, like her sisters. They had to take care of father. Hysterics would not be good at this time. Still, she felt her eyes water as she clamped down her lips; she tasted the metallic flavor of her blood as they mingled with the saltiness of her tears. She laid the box down and placed both her hands against her mouth in an attempt to cover the sounds.

What was she doing? She was behaving like a weak idiot. She was angry at herself for doing this when she should be helping Megumi. Why was it that of all her sisters, she was the one who always ended up being so emotional? She gritted her teeth. Gods, she was useless this way.

Roughly, she tried to wipe away here flowing tears with her fists. Megumi needed her medicine and she was going to get it. Drying her hands in her makeshift kimono, Misao let out a deep breath before lifting Megumi's box once more. She walked slowly back to her father's room.

Megumi said he was going to be alright and in this situation, she had to trust her sister. To do anything else…well, it didn't bear thinking about.

* * *

Kaoru ran outside, intent on getting to Dr. Genzai as fast as her feet would take her. Outside, she encountered the black horse that brought their father home to them. She gave it a cursory glance before heading outside the gates. To her surprise, the black horse gave her a nudge from behind, almost causing her to stumble forward.

She looked back at him (and it was a him) and stared at those intelligent eyes that reproached her to…do what exactly? Again the horse nudged his nose against her face and swung his head back. Almost as if to say…

Something clicked. What was she waiting for? She could ride this horse to Dr. Genzai's small clinic! She could almost swear that the horse gave her an approving grin before she swung behind and led him to the village. "Good boy," she whispered to him to his ear as they made their way. Their pace was fast, furious, as if the horse himself understood her urgency. She leaned against him, her heartbeat following the rhythm of his gait.

_Please,_ she thought. _Let him be alright._

_He will live,_ a voice replied to her plea.

Kaoru jerked up. Where was that from? She looked around, noticing the quickly passing scenery. She shook her head. She was hearing things now. She must be more upset than she realized.

_He will live_, the voice in her head repeated.

She gave a tiny gasp. Now she could have sworn she heard that one. She swept her hair away from her face and tried to listen once more. At first, all she could hear was the thunder of her horse's hooves against the hard ground but then…

_You should not worry so much, that you should not_, the voice said again. _There is nothing wrong with him that a whole lot of bed rest would not cure._

Kaoru stared at her horse in askance. If she did not know any better…

_We are here,_ the voice came again.

She looked up and found herself in Dr. Genzai's office. As luck would have it, the good doctor was on his way out of his clinic and was waving hello as he caught sight of her.

Voices in her head forgotten for the moment, Kaoru jumped off the horse and ran towards the doctor.

"Doctor," she shouted, her eyes wild, she was sure, for Dr. Genzai stepped back at her approach. "Please, doctor," she continued, "you must come with me."

"Kaoru?" Dr. Genzai replied questioningly. "What's wrong, child?"

With worry in her voice, she answered, "It's father." She tugged at his hands. "Please, you must come."

"Koshijiro?" he exclaimed. "He's back then?"

Kaoru nodded. "Please, we don't have a moment to waste. Megumi said that he had a fever. She didn't know what the cause was yet, but you must come prepared."

"Of course," the little man replied as he stepped back in his clinic. "Let me just get some things," he said almost to himself as he rummaged through his medicines.

Kaoru waited outside impatiently, watching the setting sun, as she worried her lips.

_He needs to be alright,_ she thought.

_I told you not to worry,_ came that voice in her head again.

This time, she slowly looked up to the horse. There was no one else around but Dr. Genzai and he was in his clinic. She shook her head, as if trying to clear it. She must be more tired than she thought. Again she looked intently at the horse.

She would have sworn that he gave her a smirk.

"I'm ready," she heard Dr. Genzai call out to her.

She turned to face him quickly. "Doctor," she said gratefully, "please take this horse and ride to our dojo as fast as you can."

She helped the doctor up to the horse. "Please hurry," she implored him.

_I am not leaving without you, that I am not._

Kaoru looked at Dr. Genzai and the horse. "What did you say?" she asked.

"Huh?" the doctor looked at her. "This horse does not seem to want to move. Are you sure it was trained properly, Kaoru?"

She stared at the horse intently.

_I am not leaving without you._

"Did…did you hear that?" she said carefully.

"Hear what, dear?" replied Dr. Genzai as he tried without avail to get the horse to move.

She started tapping her head.

_Only you can hear me,_ came the reply.

That horse…it was staring at her.

_I can take both of you at my back._

She stepped back from the pair. "I…I," she started to mumble.

"Kaoru," Dr. Genzai interrupted her thought. "Perhaps it's better if I walked. This beast seems to be a stubborn one."

_Beast?_ came an indignant reply

Did the horse just…_talk _to her?

Dr. Genzai started getting off the animal at her lack of reply. "Wait," she shouted.

_There's only one way to find out,_ she thought to herself. "I'll ride with you," she suggested. "Maybe he's just getting used to a new rider."

The horse snorted and, to her surprise, leaned down to allow her better access. Once astride behind Dr. Genzai, she clung for her life as off they went in the same fast pace they used to get into town. She heard Dr. Genzai give a slight yelp.

_Try…try not to scare him_, she tried hesitantly. And felt like an idiot once she finished the thought. Was she really trying to talk to a horse?

_Just hold on tight_.

And she did.

And on that ride on the way home, one thought dominated her mind: she must be going crazy.

* * *

Misao was startled out of her vigil of her father when she heard the commotion outside. She stood up and saw Kaoru help Dr. Genzai off that horse that brought her father back. She watched as Dr. Genzai hurried up the steps at Kaoru's urging, his bag of remedies clutched tightly in his arms.

"Dr. Genzai," she greeted. "Thank you for coming."

The elderly man smiled tenderly at her and replied, "I could not have done anything else, Misao-chan."

She glanced back at Kaoru who was staring strangely at the horse. As if feeling her gaze, Kaoru looked up to see her. Giving her a reassuring smile, Kaoru approached her and they both followed Dr. Genzai to their father's quarters. Without words, their hands clung to each other as they watched Megumi and Dr. Genzai prepare linens and medicines.

After what seemed like hours of just watching, Misao leaned against her sister for support. She felt Kaoru's arms go around her and give her shoulders a squeeze. The familiar comforting scent of jasmine enveloped her. "Don't worry, Misao," she said gently. "I think…I think that Father will be alright."

"But…but," she choked. "Why hasn't he woken up yet?"

"He's just…tired," she explained. "He's in good hands with Megumi and Dr. Genzai."

She looked up and saw Kaoru's intent look at the scene before them. She stared back and forth between her sister and the tableau taking place in her father's cot. By chance, she caught a speaking glance between her sisters, and she felt Kaoru's body relax.

"He's going to be okay," Kaoru whispered to her.

She looked back at Megumi, who gave them both a smile. She tried to smile in return as Kaoru led them out of the room.

With a deep breath, Kaoru looked at her and said, "We should probably prepare dinner. I'm sure Dr. Genzai would appreciate a meal after this."

Misao nodded. "I'll take care of it," she replied, knowing that it was probably better that she handled dinner instead of Kaoru.

Kaoru gave her a knowing smile. "Of course," she agreed. "I'll gather father's things from outside. With all the commotion, I forgot that we just dropped his things on the ground without taking them back in."

Misao smiled as they went their separate ways. It would feel good to do something with her hands.

* * *

Kaoru stepped outside carefully, aware that darkness has fallen. Shivering slightly, she looked for the fallen satchels and packages that were hastily strewn about in their efforts to get their father in the house.

_They are over here._

With a startled gasp, she looked up at the horse who gently nudged the packages in the ground. Slowly, she approached the stallion, fear and curiosity warring within her.

"How…" she said loudly as she stood in front of the animal, "how is it that you can communicate with me?"

The horse only snorted and started pawing at the ground.

She gave herself a self-deprecating smile. _I must be really tired,_ she thought. _Why did I even think this?_

_You are cold._

She frowned. Slowly, she raised her hands to touch his head, only to have it brushed aside.

_You are cold. Gather your things and go inside._

"Is that you?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Again the horse snorted.

_Go._

"How is it that you can do this?" she demanded, capturing his face in her hands.

_Go._

"I will," she replied. "But I need to know—"

_Go._

"Will you please just answer—"

_Go._

She let out an impatient snarl. This was not accomplishing anything. "Alright I'll gather these things," she snapped. "But I'm coming back out here and—"

"Kaoru?" Misao's voice came from inside.

"I'm coming!" she called out as one by one she picked up the parcels that were scattered on the ground. Muttering to herself about unruly and bossy animals, she realized that she will have to come back for the rest once her arms were full. With a huff, she returned to the dojo to drop some of the packages.

"Did I hear you talk to someone out there?" came Misao's voice from the kitchen.

"Just myself," she lied with a frown. "I"ve got to get the rest of the stuff. Call Megumi for dinner okay? She'll skip it if we let her."

"Sure thing!" came Misao's reply.

With a determined look, Kaoru went back outside to that stubborn horse. Her sisters were never going to believe this even if she told them. Standing in front of the horse, her hands on her hips, she gave her companion a scowl.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me how this works," she said.

_You will catch a cold._

"Just tell me why is it I can hear you and they can't?" she asked, frustrated.

At the long silence, she hung her head to the side. What was she doing? The stupid horse was right. She was going to catch a chill just standing here. She must be insane. Mentally slapping herself, she started to gather the rest of her father's things. She did not need this aggravation.

_Kaoru-dono._

She looked up and caught a glimpse of her reflection from those purple eyes.

_You hear me because I am here for you._

"What do you—"

_Go. The wind gets colder._

"But—"

_Your father will explain later._

And with that, the horse turned its back to her and trotted towards another part of their yard. She stared at him, her mind full of questions. She began to follow him when Misao's voice interrupted her thought.

"Kaoru! Dinner's ready!"

With a last look at the stallion, she gathered the rest of her father's packages and ran back into the house.

* * *

Dinner was a quiet and informal affair that night. The fare was simple, but tasty—a sign that Kaoru did not help prepare it. The usual chatter that was Kaoru and Misao's response to her teasing or to each other's antics was subdued by the events of the day. Megumi smiled as she watched both Kaoru and Misao move their food around their plate instead of eating it.

"Father will be fine," she reassured them again. "We have his fever down and it looks like he's on the road to recovery." And for that, she was inordinately thankful. She did not know what she would have done, what her sisters would have done had her father's condition been of a more serious nature.

Beside her, Dr. Genzai nodded his agreement and encouragement. "Your father is a strong man," he added. "He should be up and about soon."

She gave him a look of gratitude. Dr. Genzai's calming influence on both herself and her sisters had been a blessing in those hours of uncertainty. While Megumi considered herself a competent physician, the gripping dread of first not knowing what ailed her father was something she would rather not go through again.

Megumi smiled as she noticed Kaoru's eyes narrow suspiciously. "Be that as it may," her sister stated, "there are still those cuts in his neck to consider. I smelled blood when we brought father in."

"That's true," she replied. _And those cuts were quite curious, _she thought. It was something she and Kaoru would have to discuss later. "But they were superficial, barely a scratch really," she threw nonchalantly, aware of Misao's listening ears. "Hopefully, Father will be awake by tomorrow." She gave Kaoru a meaningful look before turning to Misao.

"Really?" asked Misao excitedly.

Megumi's eyes twinkled. "Really," she answered. "He just needs rest right now and some pampering."

A sigh of relief escaped her youngest sister's lips and Megumi echoed it in her head. Her father was alright. Suddenly, she felt quite, quite tired. All the worries of the past few days had finally caught up with her. She felt her shoulders slouch for just awhile as she let her body relax. She watched her sisters talk quietly with each other and Dr. Genzai. For now, she enjoyed the silent peace that was their lives.

To be continued.


	3. Chapter Three: A Family Matter

**Roses in Winter: a Fairytale Revisited - A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction**

_**Chapter Three: A Family Matter **_

Kaoru stretched her arms as she gave what most would consider an unfeminine yawn. She stared at the ceiling of her room, her eyes adjusting to the brightness as the sun's rays burst through her windows. There was something odd about the whole thing. Why was the sun so bright at this time? And why were those birds so noisy already?

The smell of cooked breakfast started to waft in the air.

With a startled jerk, she pulled herself up and sat down abruptly. The sudden movement caused her head to spin for awhile, and she groaned. She had overslept. Megumi was going to be so mad that the morning chores were not done yet and—

_Father,_ she thought.

She slapped her hand to her forehead. How could she have forgotten? Stupid Kaoru, stupid! As fast as she could, she donned her usual gi and hakama, muttering unintelligible words under her breath. Sometimes she would swear that she was as young as Misao. Quickly giving herself a once over to make sure everything that should be tight was tight, she made a dash for her father's room.

The sight that greeted her would warm her heart for days to come. There was her father sitting comfortably down in his cot. Misao must have crept there during the night for she was now leaning against their father while he cradled her in his arms.

Kaoru grinned as she noticed the slight drool dripping from Misao's mouth. Her eyes twinkled as she met her father's gaze.

"You're late," she said as sternly as she could while her voice trembled.

"I know," he replied softly. "I'm sorry."

Without hesitation, she flung herself against her father, wrapping her arms around him and Misao. "Just don't do it again," she mumbled against him, comforted by the familiar scent that was her father.

"What do you think you two are doing?" came Megumi's voice from behind, her angry gaze directed at her and Misao. "Can't you see that this man is recuperating?" she berated.

Looking back at her, Kaoru gave a sheepish grin as she extricated herself from her father's embrace. "Sorry," she said through the smile in her mouth.

"Quiet!" called out Misao from her position. "Father's trying to sleep here."

Kaoru shared a laugh with Megumi as both of them kneeled before their father, hands held together.

"How do you feel?" Megumi asked him gently.

"Great," he replied. He looked intently at their faces. "I'm sorry I scared you," he continued as his hand patted Megumi's cheek.

"Just make sure you don't do it again," she replied in mock anger. She gestured outside. "I've made breakfast. I thought that if you feel up to it, we could all eat here with you instead."

"That's a great idea, Megumi," Kaoru enthused. She looked at her father in concern. "That is, as she said, if you feel up to it."

Her father gave her a small nod and she jumped to her feet. "I'll get it," she announced as she headed out the room. "Thanks for doing the chores this morning, Megumi," she acknowledged her sister.

Megumi gave her a nod before going back to questioning her father. Giving her family one last look, Kaoru headed out to prepare the breakfast trays.

She made appreciative sounds as she neared the kitchen. Megumi was the best cook out of all of them. It must come from being good at preparing all those medicines for Dr. Genzai. She seemed to have an innate sense on how much to add whether she's making spices or poultices. Only Megumi could make rice balls into a culinary delight. She sighed. She did envy her sister her gift. Everything she touched in the kitchen seemed to turn out bland—and that was when it was edible. She shrugged. Oh well. They all had their talents. Sometimes, she just wished that hers was as _showy_ or _girly_ as Megumi's.

Shaking her thoughts from her head, she started putting together a tray of food when, at the corner of her eye, she noticed that horse grazing outside by the window. Was he…she took a closer look. She watched as the horse pawed the ground and continually kicked some of the trash to one side. What _was _he doing? If she didn't know any better, she would have said that the horse was cleaning up their yard. She really had to give Misao a talk about leaving things in the yard. She gave herself a mental shake. What was she thinking? Maybe she did need more sleep. She growled.

Besides the very real possibility that Megumi might just contemplate on the possibility of her sister's insanity, why hasn't she told anyone about that darn horse? Did she dream last night? Did she really have a conversation with a horse? She didn't remember being feverish.

_I am here for you, _he had said.

What did that mean? There was something foreboding about the way the words flowed in her head. It almost sounded like…a threat? a warning? She shook her head and let out another sigh.

"Hey Kaoru!" she heard Misao's voice.

She smiled. She guessed Misao was more awake by now. "I'm coming!" she yelled back. She would think about the horse later. Right now, she needed to be with her family.

* * *

Koshijiro savored the feeling of harmony that comes from having his family around him. He enjoyed the endless chatter, the loving looks, the caring touches, and gentle smiles that his family gave one another. For all their differences in temperament or even in interests, there was a deep abiding love that simmers just below the surface. And for that, he had their mother to thank. He had to admit that in the beginning, he did not have much to do with raising his daughters. He was much too focused in his art and his wife took care of all the details regarding child-rearing. He smiled in remembrance of the foolish man that he once was. It took the love of a good woman—and three persistent children—for him to fully understand the goal of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. _To protect those you love._

His eyes clouded.

_Your daughter will take your place, _the Battousai had said, his voice haunting his thoughts ever since he'd woken up that morning.

Could he protect his daughters from this thing? For what may be the hundredth time, he silently berated his own stupidity. What had he been thinking? Oh, wait. That's right. He _wasn't_ thinking. He was just reacting to the manslayer with a sword against his neck.

It filled him with shame whenever he thought of those last few moments.

_Would you do anything to live?_ that voice taunted in his ear.

And foolish, foolish man that he was, he had answered affirmatively. Never for one moment imagining what the consequences would be. Never for one moment thinking that his daughter would bear the brunt of his foolish actions.

_But she won't!_ he told himself. He would never send his daughter to that monster. Damn the consequences!

"Father, are you alright?" Kaoru's voice interrupted his reverie. Her concerned face looked at him intently. "You look troubled. Are we tiring you?"

He looked up to see all three daughters look at him with worry. He gave them a wry grin. "I'm fine," he assured them. "Just thinking about all of you."

They smiled at him hesitantly, giving each other uneasy looks.

"I'm fine," he said again. Mother hens…that's what his daughters all turned out to be.

"Oh, father!" Misao said suddenly. "Kaoru and I put the packages you had in the living room. There were too many people here in your bedroom last night. Would you like me to bring it to you now?"

"Packages?" he queried. "What packages?"

"You know," said Kaoru, "all the stuff you had with you. I assumed it was the purchases you made in your trip."

_Huh? _He remembered making purchases, but those purchases were long gone with those dratted bandits.

"Father," teased Misao, "don't tell us you don't remember buying those."

"Umm…" he thought of something to say. _What packages?_

"Here, I'll bring it over," Misao volunteered, skipping happily outside.

Once Misao was out of earshot, Megumi took his hand and held it. "Father," she gave him a look of trepidation. "Do you remember what happened to you?"

He started to give her a flip reply. Something light-hearted. A lie.

"What I'd like to know is where these came from?" Kaoru interrupted, pointing at his throat.

"There were also bruises in your temple," Megumi added carefully. "I didn't want to say anything to alarm Misao, but…Father, what happened?"

Could he? Could he lie to his daughters?

"Hey, everybody!" Misao called from outside.

And coward that he was, he was grateful for the interruption.

"Did you know that we have a donkey outside?" she yelled back again.

_A donkey?_ Koshijiro frowned. _It couldn't be. Could it?_

"A donkey?" repeated Megumi and Kaoru simultaneously, getting up at their feet.

He started to get up too, only to have Megumi give him a fulminating glare. "You stay there," she ordered. "You're not to get up for awhile."

He gave her a protesting look. "How many times do I have to say that I'm fine?" he asked her, but she was already on her way out. He thought about disobeying her; he really did. She was, after all, his daughter. But disagreeing with Megumi when she was in her physician mode might not bode well for him. He stared at the empty room. Well, not much he could do right now but wait.

* * *

Kaoru looked in askance at the emaciated looking animal in their front yard. "How did it get in here?" she asked no one in particular. She watched as Misao approached the sorry-loking animal to pet it.

"Oh no," Megumi said under her breath, "we're going to be keeping this donkey."

Kaoru glanced at her in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Can't you see it?" she said, pointing at Misao. "She's in love with the thing."

Kaoru looked back at Misao, who was busy cooing at the donkey. She started to laugh. Misao did love taking home awful-looking strays. "She got it from you, you know," Kaoru reminded Megumi. "I remember the things you used to take home and play doctor to."

Megumi shook her head. "I took home cute, tiny animals," she defended herself. "Nothing that may eat us out of house and home!"

"Same difference," Kaoru replied, as they stared at their sister. "Well, we might as well feed it," she said after a long pause. "It looks like it is starving."

"Hmm…better yet," said Megumi, "let Misao do it. It'll give her something to do while we ask Father what happened." She made a move towards their father's room. "I'll bring the packages in too," she added.

Kaoru nodded. "I'll be there in a second." She walked towards Misao. "Hey Misao," she called, touching her sister's shoulder. "Why don't you feed the horse and the donkey? There should be something in the storage for them."

Misao gave a delighted laugh as she nodded and bounded up and down towards the storage unit.

Kaoru shook her head and made her way back to the house.

_We need to leave soon, _the voice in her head prompted.

She stopped and looked back. The black stallion was there standing behind her. She gave a yelp of surprise. She didn't even hear him move up behind her.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

He gave what could only be an equivalent of a shrug.

_Soon, _the voice said again. _He grows impatient. _With that, he trotted over to follow where Misao left.

Confused, Kaoru could only watch before turning her back and returning inside. Her father had some explaining to do.

When she entered her father's room, she was surprised to find an explosion of…items.

"What's going on here?" she demanded, looking back and forth from Megumi and her father.

Megumi made a gesture towards the mess. "We opened some of the parcels," she explained. She gave an impatient look to her father. "Those packages are full of very expensive stuff. We have bolts of silk and precious gems among other things. I don't think we can afford any of this." She looked back at her father. "And you don't remember purchasing these?" she asked.

Kaoru kneeled down in front of some of the parcels. She noticed that some were wrapped in tiny packets. She smelled them, her nose wrinkling in distaste.

"Hey Megumi," she said, "did you ask for one of these?"

Megumi approached her and smelled the packets. "Yes," she replied. She looked back at her father. "You must have bought these. Why else would they be in here?"

Their father looked at them helplessly. But behind the helpless look, Kaoru noticed a…hesitation. "Father," she said gently. "I believe you know more about this than you would have us believe. Please, tell us what is going on?"

* * *

Koshijiro looked at his daughter's imploring eyes. How could he tell her? How did one tell one's daughter that in a moment of foolishness, he had exchanged his dreadful fate for theirs?

"Hey, Kaoru" Megumi called. "Look at this. You asked father to give you a rose, didn't you?"

Koshijiro looked up at his eldest. He gasped. In her hands, she was holding what looked like a perfectly preserved rose inside a crystallized container. It was amazing, really. The rose looked suspended in both air and time, forever perfect in every way.

_It was magical,_ he thought. The same way that winter garden had been magical. His fists clenched. Gods, what was he going to do? In that rose, he saw the culmination of his shameful act of cowardice.

He watched as Kaoru stood up in awe as she reverently took the crystal container from her sister. She looked back at him. "Father, did you get this for me?" she asked, her eyes lit up like candles. "It's beautiful!" she exclaimed. "Wherever did you get it?"

"Don't touch it," he whispered hoarsely, harshly. He made a move to grab it from her, but his weak body betrayed him and he felt his legs collapse from beneath him.

"Father!" both women exclaimed as they dove to catch him.

Since Kaoru was closer, she got to him first. With her arms around him, she stared at his eyes and almost willed him to look at her. "Father," she said softly, gently cradling him as she helped him in his cot. "Father," she said again, brushing away his hair from his eyes. "What's wrong?"

He looked at the rose gently rolling in the floor where Kaoru had dropped it. The sparkle from the crystal seemed to wink at him, taunt him. His breathing became labored. He felt, more than saw, Kaoru gesture to Megumi for help.

"Father, please," Megumi's voice came to him gently. "Do not over-exert yourself." Her hand felt his forehead as Kaoru leaned back away and stared at him with those curious eyes.

"What are you not telling us?" she asked softly, her eyes never leaving his face. "What happened to you out there, Father?" Her voice was steady, but he could hear the thread of hurt underlying her words.

Koshijiro looked around blindly, anywhere but at his daughters' reproachful looks.

"Father," Megumi finally said, a determined edge on her voice as she lifted his face to look at her. "Kaoru and I are not children. Please do not make a mockery of our upbringing by some misguided sense—"

Kaoru held his hands between hers and looked up at him. "We love you," she said simply. "Let us share this burden."

He closed his eyes, shame welling up in his being. He couldn't tell them. He couldn't! He had to think of something, anything, to tell them besides the truth. His mind raced and he barely noticed the wetness in his hands. And when he did notice, he saw Kaoru's silent tears as she stared at him in silence.

"Please," she said quietly.

And, in that moment of weakness, he told his daughters the truth.

* * *

That night, Kaoru leaned against the wall of her bedroom, unable to sleep. She stared at the moon and the stars as they twinkled up beyond her window. Beside her window, the perfect rose sat innocently as moonbeams bounced off its crystal.

It really was a beautiful rose. It would have been perfect by itself without the crystal around it to protect it. But with the crystal, it looked like it would be perfect forever. She stepped closer to it. There was a shimmer around it, a sparkle. Such a beautiful, beautiful flower that hid an ugly past.

She took a deep breath. Her fault. All her fault. Whatever made her ask for a rose in the first place? Especially given the season? She pounded the back of her head silently against the wall.

The Hitokiri Battousai. She had thought of him as a legend. Something used by parents to scare naughty children into behaving. To think that such a creature actually existed. A shudder ran up her spine. He would come here. She knew that, deep in her bones. If she did not fulfill the trade he had demanded, he would come here. And at that point, who knew what he might do?

Again, she looked at the rose by her window sill. Without meaning to, her eyes wandered to her drawer full of clothes. They had their father back. That was what was important. The Battousai spared her father. And now…she sighed…now…

"You're not going to do anything stupid, are you?" Megumi's voice interrupted her thoughts. Her sister was at the other side of her door, within reach.

Kaoru bit her lip and slid down the floor as she leaned against the door. "Define stupid," she whispered, knowing Megumi could hear her in the other side.

"You are not seriously thinking of fulfilling the trade, are you?" Megumi hissed, her voice agitated.

Kaoru started to laugh, but it ended up a sob. "Honor demands," she began.

"What of honor?" Megumi demanded. "Father never agreed to this and you know it. He would have rather died there in that garden than have any of us take his place."

"But he didn't die, Megumi," she whispered. "We were given the gift of our father's life." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "And, had I been given the choice," she continued, "I would have gladly gone to his place."

"You are not—"

"Megumi," she interrupted. "Had it been your rose, what would you have done?"

"I would _not_ go—"

"Don't lie," she whispered. "I know why you're here." Her eyes filled with tears. "You're not here to tell me to forget about the whole trade. Not really."

Megumi remained silent at that.

Gods, she knew her sister so well. "You're here to tell me that you will take my place," she declared steadily.

For one moment, she had considered it. Her fear of the unknown monster crept up full force. Would it be so bad to have someone else go to her place? And, in a moment of clarity, she knew she couldn't do it. Just as her father would not have bargained with their lives given the choice, she would not send someone else to her place.

"Kaoru," Megumi's voice broke. "Please. I will do this for you," she entreated. "I am the eldest and—"

"Megumi," she said softly. "Please take care of father and Misao."

"Don't—"

"Megumi," she said. "Please." She licked her lips. The weight in her chest felt heavier. "Please," she pleaded again, more for her own sake that Megumi's.

She could hear her sister's harsh breathing behind the wall. "Don't…don't leave just yet," her sister whispered. "Stay here with me for awhile."

She bit her lip to keep herself from saying that she will never leave, that she will stay with her forever. "Okay," she responded instead. "I'll stay for awhile." And for the next hour, she and Megumi leaned against each other, separated by the thin barrier that was her door.

* * *

In the darkness, Megumi opened her eyes slowly. She touched her cheek, her eyes glistening at a phantom touch. With a certain dread, she knew that Kaoru had left. Her effervescent presence was no longer part of the dojo. Carefully, she stood up and staggered towards her room, her hands covering her mouth. There, she kneeled by her cot as quiet tears poured from her eyes. With only the sounds of her choked sobs to keep her company, she grieved for her sister as silently as she had for their mother.

* * *

_We will be there soon, that we will._

Kaoru leaned closely against the horse carrying her. She was so cold and…and sleepy. She rubbed her face against the black mane. They had ridden for hours and the cold seemed to just get worse by the minute.

Or perhaps it was just her soul that was cold.

She could feel the horse increase his gait at her lack of response.

_Kaoru-dono._

She closed her eyes and tried to burrow herself more under the blankets and against her horse. At least _he_ was warm.

_Kaoru-dono_, there was an urgency in that voice now.

She laid her cheek against the back of his neck as memories of the past few hours resurfaced.

— FLASHBACK —

_The horse had been waiting for her, just outside the dojo. His sympathetic gaze followed her every move as she approached him silently. She stood in front of him for a moment, letting the numbness she felt permeate through her whole being. Her bag of clothes slipped through her frozen fingers and dropped on the ground in an audible thud._

"_How did you know?" she whispered to him a question that had been on her mind ever since her father told his tale. "How did you know that the rose was meant for me?"_

_He neighed and pawed the ground impatiently._

I knew when I first saw you_, he replied_.

_She shivered, both from the biting cold and the words that danced in her head._

I knew that the rose was for you, _he continued_. It could go to no other.

"_That's hardly an answer," she bit back through her gritted teeth. _

No, _he agreed. _That it is not.

_She waited for him to elaborate, to elucidate. But as minutes passed by while she stood there, she knew that no more words of explanation will come forth. She turned away from him, unwilling to ask again. She looked back at the dojo, her home for the last seventeen years, and tried to engrave every last detail to memory. _

_This might very well be her last look of her home._

_The horse nudged her as if to remind her of her purpose. His lavender eyes peered at her through the darkness, asking the unvoiced question. She gave him a resigned look. "I…we might as well be on our way," she stated in a low voice. Lingering might in this night might just kill her resolve not to let Megumi take on this burden._

She would not have been acceptable, no she would not.

_She gave a start. "Why not?" she asked the horse curiously. Was her life this predetermined? Was she truly destined for this terrible fate?_

_The horse snorted._

You are being overly-dramatic, that you are. The rose was yours, so the burden of your father's life is yours.

_This time _she_ snorted. "Did it really matter?" she asked bitterly. "I don't know for what purpose this exchange serves, but I would think that one daughter would serve as well as the other."_

_The horse shook his head._

The rose was yours, so the burden of your father's life is yours, _he repeated in her head. _

_She looked at him strangely. "My father's life is not a burden," she said instead. "And…" she looked around at the yard, and at the dojo behind her, "And, when all is said and done…I would rather have my father alive and well than dead in an unmarked grave."_

_The horse peered at her beneath his lashes, his purple eyes speculative. _Even if it means this 'terrible fate'? _he asked, the question swirling in her mind._

_She gave him a soft smile. "Yes," she replied, before she lifted her body up and on the horse. "Let's go," she urged, her hand trembling at the reins._

— END FLASHBACK —

Her teeth chattered. Perhaps it was good that she had the cold to focus on; otherwise, her mind might drift over her family once more. She winced. She could do without the frozen tears. And the bouts of self-pity coupled with a healthy dose of strangling fear.

Gods, it's so cold! Where did this blizzard come from?

She started to cry again. _My family…_

_Kaoru-dono._

_Leave me alone, _she answered bitterly. _Just…just do your job._

_Kaoru-dono, we have arrived._

Slowly, she gathered the remnants of her tattered courage and raised herself up from her slumped position. The iron gates that were the door to her prison seemed massive and imposing. The creaking sounds they made as they were opened by an unknown force were painful to hear. She cringed slight and watched as her horse slowly brought her over to the unknown.

To be continued.


	4. Chapter Four: Into the Lair

**Roses in Winter: a Fairytale Revisited - A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction**

**_Chapter Four: Into the Lair _**

Kaoru licked her chapped lips, moistening the abused flesh as she stared at the veritable wonder that was the garden in front of her. Words failed her as she stared at the place her father had described as "magical." As her horse walked her past the gates and she found herself surrounded by blood red roses, their scent threatened to overwhelm her senses. The blizzard, which had blown the bitterly cold wind and snow against her skin seconds before, seemed like a distant memory as she entered this wonderland. While she could still feel the cold and she huddled against her cloak, the bite had gone from the chill. In this place, this _magical _place, serenity seemed to reign supreme.

She heard no sounds of bird or insects that usually accompanied such a garden, and the sheer quietness and stillness made her halt her horse's progress for one moment. A prickle of uneasiness ran down her spine. She felt…she felt stalked. Her hands tightened her grip on the pommel and she allowed herself to take in her surroundings for the first time. There was something quite…off about the whole thing. Something she was sure her father would have noticed had he not been so preoccupied with his troubles or in the grip of both physical and mental exhaustion.

_Is your resolve failing?_ her equine companion queried, making note of their lack of progress.

She shook her head. "I just," she whispered, "I feel like I'm being watched," she admitted.

He snorted. _Well, of course you are, _he confirmed. _You did not expect to just walk past those gates without him noticing, did you?_

She frowned at the horse's slightly derisive tone. "You know," she started, "you're a little more lippy now that we're here."

Again, he snorted and pawed the ground impatiently.

_He has waited a long time for you, Kaoru-dono, that he has,_ he informed her.

She gave him a confused look. "I could not have come here faster than I've already done," she protested. "In fact, I got here a little sooner than I had wanted," she muttered under her breath.

_But Kaoru-dono, _he tried to explain, _Battousai had waited for you long before Kamiya-san ever plucked the rose in bloom. _

Confusion clouded her features. "What do you mean?" she questioned. "How could he have been waiting for me before he even met my father?"

The horse remained silent for a long time before answering that question. Finally, he replied, his words deliberate in her head, _Sometimes people wait for things they never knew they waited for in the first place._

"Cryptic," she stated, not in the least bit impressed, "very cryptic. I would ask you to explain, but I have a feeling that this is as far as you're willing to go. In fact, I'm surprised you've even talked about the Battousai at all."

The horse neighed in response. _I just…I would ask a favor of you._

Feeling surprise, Kaoru arched her brow as she looked down at her companion. "Oh?" she stated suspiciously, "And what favor would that be?"

_Just…try not to judge him too harshly._

She started to laugh. "Let me get this straight," she let out in between bursts of desperate amusement, "He was about to kill my father, whose only crime was to unknowingly cut a single rose. And then, he arranged a trade, which my father would never have agreed upon. And now I'm here, away from my family and friends, about to encounter a killer of legendary proportions. And you have the audacity to ask me not to judge him too harshly?"

She would swear that the horse made a sheepish bow. _There are always two sides, Kaoru-dono, that there is. In his defense, at least he did not kill your father._

"No," she said, forlorn, "he waits to kill me instead."

At her words, she felt a genuine surprise emanate from the horse's thoughts. _Kill you? Whatever gave you that idea?_

She gave a snort. "Oh, I don't know," she replied sarcastically. "Perhaps something along the 'a-life-for-a-life' bit?"

_Kaoru-dono, _he seemed genuinely taken aback, _I would not have brought you here had I been certain that death awaited you, that I would not! I wish you had made this thought clearer to me sooner so that I could have alleviated this worry._

"It wasn't a worry," she muttered almost to herself. "More of a certainty. I mean, why else am I here if not to repay a debt of life?"

_Had Battousai just wanted a death, he would not have traded your father for you, that he would not._

"Oh?" she exclaimed disbelievingly, "And what else would Battousai want if not death? His mere name carries death around him like a cloak. Legends say that he made Kyoto rain in blood with all the kills he's had."

Again, silence.

"Let's get this over with," she finally said, urging her horse to move forward.

The horse refused to budge at first when his words filled her head once more. _Kaoru-dono…I repeat, I would not have brought you here had death been the only thing that awaited you, that I would not._ And with that, he started to bring them forward, deeper into the garden.

She heard the gates close behind her, their metallic creaking grating on her already frayed nerves. For obvious reasons, the clang that signaled their closure reminded her of the sound of a blade against a blade. With that imagery in mind, she steeled herself to meet her destiny.

* * *

He watched them from the parapet, his body still as the statues that kept him company. Even from afar, he could see both rider and horse as they approached his land. Here, above most of his domain, the wind was a bitterly cold witch that howled and cackled as she bit frostily into every exposed flesh. Yet, he felt neither the cold, nor the dancing wind that tangled his unkempt mane. Instead, his eyes followed the slow progress of the new arrivals through those gates which, as the fates would have it, were also gates to his own prison. He held his breath when he saw the horse's trot faltered just after the gates. He saw the obvious hesitation, the slight tug that signaled the rider's decision to halt their movement. He clenched his jaw as the maddening fire of rage licked through his being.

He was not a patient man, and yet for this woman he had waited. He had bided his time the moment he watched his horse take her thieving father away from his domain. For days, he had watched those cursed gates for a sign of her presence. Given her father's condition and the distance they had to travel, he knew it had been too soon to expect her presence. But every night this past week, he had stood in this place, his eyes fixed on those very gates as he stalked the high grounds back and forth. And now…now…at the edge of the precipice, she dared to hesitate? A low growl escaped his throat.

Did she think she could go back? Did she think she could change her mind now? His hand touched the hilt of his sword in an unconscious movement.

"_I just…I feel like I'm being watched,"_ the wind carried her voice to him.

His eyes narrowed at the sound of her voice. Could she…could she sense his presence? Unfamiliar feelings of uncertainty filled him and not for the first time, he wondered at the insane impulse that led him to spare the life of a common thief. He had fully intended to mete out the punishment for the man's crime of entering this domain and attempting to steal those blood-cursed roses; but, at the touch of his blade on the man's neck, a flash of an image, a vision, appeared before his eyes.

_Her blue eyes looked down upon him with such warmth as her hand gently caressed his scarred cheek. He watched both love and tears fill her eyes. All for him._

"_Please," she had said, "don't leave me."_

_A wrenching pain had gripped his chest as he tried to mouth words that were left unsaid._

And as quickly as his vision had appeared, it had left him bereft in that cold night, with his sword against his would-be thief's neck. His lightning-quick reflexes were the only things that spared that thief's life. Well, that and the fact that the thief's ramblings finally penetrated his brain.

"_I just wanted to give my daughter a rose,"_ he had said.

Knowledge filled him then. Knowledge that came with his inborn curse that streamed hotly in his veins. He knew then, at that moment, that the woman in his vision had been the thief's daughter. And, as he stood that night with his sword against the thief, an internal battle waged between the cursed monster that was his own and the very last vestige of his humanity – a trait he never knew still remained.

He needed that woman. _Needed. _And while that spark in his conscience cried out against bringing another soul into his cursed existence, the utter ruthlessness of the monster clawed its way out and muttered the words of trade that will indelibly tie another's life to his own.

The woman was his. As was his right to demand, the woman would take the thief's place. She would be his by right, by law.

By magic.

And now she was here, at the edge of his domain, closer than she had ever been before. His nostrils flared as he waited for both woman and animal to proceed.

"_He waits to kill me instead,"_ her voice drifted to him once more.

Kill her? He gave a silent laugh. A possibility. She was _his_. To do with as he wished, to play with as he wished, to discard as he wished.

He let out a self-deprecating laugh. As if he would discard the only thing that will ever truly belong to him. Of course, had he really wanted to kill someone, he would have settled for her thief of a father. Still…his eyes glittered. This was interesting. She still came, even at the thought of her death.

He watched her urge her mount forward, quite a brave attempt considering, and he felt himself let out a silent breath he had be holding. She would come to his domain, his home. It was only a matter of time now.

In the back of his mind, he wondered if she liked his gift.

* * *

Her horse led a slow pace deeper into the gardens, and again she noticed the very thickness of the air around her. And the roses…the roses seemed more alive! They seemed denser the further into the gardens she went. In fact, they almost seemed to crawl all over the place. She was surprised to see that there was a path for her and her horse.

A movement from the corner of her eye led her to stop again and observe her surroundings. Something was moving alongside her. She looked sideways, squinting her eyes. There was nothing but rose bushes and the woods as far as her eye could see. How vast was this estate?

On impulse, she lifted herself off her horse and landed gracefully on the snow-covered ground. Clutching her cloak tighter around her body, she began to slowly walk towards one of the bushes in front of her, leaving a trail of footprints at her wake.

_Kaoru-dono?_ her companion called to her.

A foot from the shrubs, an unexplicable urge took hold of her. She wanted to touch, to feel these roses. Their scent tempted her, called to her. Ignoring her horse, she raised her hands to gently caress one of the blooms when she would swear she saw the roses themselves reach out to her ever so slightly. Surprised, she drew her hand back protectively as she took several steps back.

What was that just now? Her eyes widening, she watched the roses sway against the wind and stretch ever so slightly…towards her. With a silent gasp, she backed further away until her body bumped against the side her horse with enough force for her to lose her balance and land decidedly on her backside.

_Kaoru-dono? _his tone held a slight laughter to it.

"Not a word," she said grumpily, more embarrassed than not as she rubbed her abused posterior, while maintaining her gaze at the roses. She felt the cool brush of wind against her ears and realized that the hood of her cloak had fallen back from its position. Shivering slightly, she grabbed the edges of her hood to put it back in place when her movement caused her eyes to look back towards a strange sight.

Because of the way she had fallen, she now faced the path where they had come from. Except now, there was no path that led towards the gates. The trail she had followed to lead her this far into the gardens had disappeared. Now, only roses upon roses were present where the trail used to be. Rubbing her eyes in consternation, she looked forward to where she and her horse were heading. There, a path was visible. The lanes where the roses separated were delineated quite clearly.

"This could be a hint," she told herself as calmly as she could. "There's no turning back now, I guess."

Her horse snorted behind her. _Had you been really considering turning back, _he told her, _you would have done so before now, that you would. _

"Maybe," she admitted. "But I'd still like to know what happened to the path we took." Carefully, she got up from her sitting position, wincing slightly at the cold wetness of her cloak. Her heart pounded loudly against her ribs as she cautiously walked towards the rose bushes that now obscured the path out of this place.

This garden _was _magical. How else would one explain the change in the layout of the land? Curiously, she peered through the shrubbery and noted how undisturbed everything seemed. All signs of her presence as she wove her way through the garden had disappeared. In fact, it didn't look as if she went through it at all, let alone her horse.

There was something about all these roses. They felt different to her. They seemed to respond to her presence. Belatedly, she thought of her own rose hidden in her bags. Was that rose a part of this garden?

She stepped closer to the blooms. Again, that sweet scent drew her.

_Just one touch, _the thought entered her mind. In an almost trance-like state, she leaned down far enough for her right hand reached out to touch the red petals. At the touch of her fingers against the dewy softness, the roses around her seemed to let out a sigh in response. She heard the quiet rustle of their leaves while she rubbed her fingers gently against one bloom. Without warning, the rose she held surged against her hand, its thorns pricking her wrist and drawing blood.

In an instinctive response to pain, she quickly, clumsily, drew her hand back and inadvertently dug the thorn deeper into her flesh. She muffled a small sound of pain as the thorn sliced her flesh from the inside of wrist to the center of her palm before freeing hand. She stood in muted enthrallment as her blood dripped onto the roses, its color melding against the red of the flowers.

As for the roses, she felt an almost tangible shudder bristle across the garden. The rustle of leaves seemed to grow louder than before, more urgent. The roses, all of them, seemed to want to reach for her. She watched in combined horror and fascination as the roses slowly, ever so slowly crawled towards her, the buds nipping at her feet.

_Kaoru-dono!_

Her horse broke through her stunned reverie as he nudged her forcefully with his nose. She looked back at him, the slight edge of panic entering her voice when she asked, "What's…what's going on?"

_Please, Kaoru-dono, _he replied to her_, it would be best if you ride me from here, that it would._

Not waiting for another invitation, she quickly lifted herself up on the saddle, cringing slightly when she rubbed her palm against the leather. Looking down from her position, she noticed the trail of dripping blood she left against the whiteness of the snow-laden land. Her horse began a quick gallop, which she barely noticed. Instead, her attention was drawn to the line of blood in her still-bleeding hand. With her left hand, she traced the cut from her palm to her wrist, smearing the blood even more.

_Are you hurt?_ her stallion queried, maintaining his brisk pace.

"I…no," she answered softly. "Just a scratch."

_The roses did not_, he paused, _hurt you, did they?_

She shook her head. "I was just careless," she stated, thinking about the incident. Had she not drawn her hand back so carelessly, she would not have been cut this deep. Her fingers closed over her palm. It was still bleeding. She would need to wrap it in bandages later.

She looked back at the wake of their departure and let out a startled sound at the sight of a sea of rose bushes that shifted and moved and followed at their heels.

"Why are they following us?" she whispered to her horse as she leaned down, her right hand clutched against her chest along with the reins.

Just then, she noticed his pace slow down to a gentle trot.

He gave her a sideways look. _We are here,_ he told her, avoiding her question Eventually, his movements stopped.

Confused, she looked up ahead of her. She could have sworn she saw nothing but roses in the horizon prior to now. But lo, before her eyes was a great oak door with intricate carvings of monsters and gargoyles. A gasp of surprise escaped her lips.

_It is safe for you to be in the ground now, Kaoru-dono,_ he urged her.

Her hands tightened instinctively against the reins and she bit her lip to prevent a sound of pain from escaping. She really did need to bandage this cut.

She looked around her, taking note that the roses seemed to stay still for now. "Can you tell me what just happened?" she asked again.

_This is where I must leave you, Kaoru-dono, _her companion informed her solemnly, evasively.

"I guess not," she answered her own question. Looking at him disappointedly, she carefully extricated herself from the saddle. His leaning down allowed her feet to touch the ground safely without putting strain on her hands to hold her.

She quickly turned to him and lifted her bags from his back. "Thank you," she acknowledged his helpfulness on that matter.

He stood up quickly and gazed at her with his purple eyes. _I am sorry that I could not be more of a help to you, Kaoru-dono, that I am_, he told her.

She nodded imperceptibly, her heart heavy as she watched him turn his back. Was that it? He was just going to leave her like this?

"Wait!" she called out and bit her lip. She watched him turn back to her. What was she doing? With a slight hesitation, she ploughed on, "You said that death did not await me here."

He gazed at her and nodded in response. _I do not believe that certain death is to be your fate._

"Will I…will I see you again?" she then asked, dreading the response. "You're the only one I know here," she said quickly, hurriedly, "I…I would like a familiar face to talk to at least." She felt her face flush in embarrassment and she looked away. He must think her desperate!

He gave her what she interpreted to be a sad smile pasted in his equine features. _It may be awhile before we meet again,_ he informed her regretfully.

Feeling strangely abandoned, she said nothing in response. She licked her lips and stared at the ground. For the first time since she started this journey, she accepted the reality that she was alone here. Truly alone.

_Kaoru-dono,_ her horse approached her. _It has been an honor to meet you, that it has._

She refused to look up. Instead, her eyes wandered to her hands, one of which was still throbbing.

_Please take care of your hand,_ he sent his thought gravely, before trotting away.

She nodded her head in response, but she didn't think he noticed. By the time she looked up, he was already turned away, those enchanted roses (and yes, she was quite sure they were enchanted!) creating a path for him to go. She tried to call out again, but the words refused to come. Her throat felt parched, her tongue tied in knots. "I…" she started to say, "I…" she said again. "I didn't even know your name," she whispered to herself. "All this time," she reprimanded herself, "I never thought to ask you your name."

Slowly, she turned towards the door before her. There was no sense in prolonging the inevitable. With a deep breath, she lifted the brass knocker with her left hand and gently pounded the door.

* * *

He could smell her blood, taste it even, as the scent drifted up to him and played with his senses. He had watched their progress along the garden, had known the instant her hand had touched a rose, and had felt that first piercing of her skin. He shivered in memory of when that first drop of blood soaked into the grounds through the roses. A sweet metallic flavor swirled around his mouth and he shuddered in response as an unnamed hunger rose from the pit of his belly.

He growled and stalked back inside halls of his home. The smell and taste of blood had made the monster within him even more restless tonight. He felt it strain and stretch through the confines of his own body, and only his tightly held control kept it at bay. If his ragged breathing was any testament, tonight would be…difficult. Bad enough to keep the beast at bay without the temptation of blood and flesh right before his very nose.

Perhaps this was a bad night to greet his guest.

It didn't matter. She was here now, just outside the door. He could smell her fear, her apprehension; but most importantly, he could smell her _blood_. Fresh blood dripping, dripping, dripping right outside his door. He felt it seep even more into the grounds as its warmth cut through the snow and into the earth. He felt his skin stretch as he fought for control of his own body. He would greet her as a man, damn it, and not some ravenous beast.

He heard the slow knocks on the door from the balustrade where he paused. He could see the faint shadow of her presence through the bottom of the door as he waited. He swallowed a snarl from his throat as he willed her to open the door herself.

He wanted to see her first, up close, without her seeing him. He wanted to know for certain if the face of the woman in his visions matched hers. Even though he knew, _he knew_, that it had to be her, he wanted his own eyes to verify what his mind, his other senses, and his soul had known the very moment she entered his domain.

Slowly, he saw the knob turn, creaking slightly from disuse. He watched as the door was pushed open cautiously.

"Hello?" her voice called out, soft and husky.

A shiver raced along his spine as his ears strained to listen more closely.

"Anyone in here?" she asked as she placed one step inside his home.

The door opened more fully and the quick intake of his breath was the only sound he made as her silhouette became visible against the moonlight. A wild breeze blew across, flapping her cloak around her. He saw her shiver from the cold and draw her arms within the confines of her clothing.

"Is anyone in here?" she queried louder this time, as she entered his home fully, looking around fretfully. By chance, her face looked up at him and the light from the outside gave him a clear picture of her features. Once again, for just a moment, his vision overwhelmed him.

"_Please," she had said, "don't leave me."_

He made a low sound in his throat as reality intruded. He peered at her through his red bangs while his hands gripped the banister, cracking the wood with his strength. She noticed him now. He knew it. He could tell by the stillness of her body and the quickening of her breathing. Her heartbeat jumped and raced. He groaned. He could hear her _heart, _for God's sake.

And he could smell her. Not just her blood, whose scent threatened to overcome his senses, but also her own personal scent. The slight fragrance of jasmine on her skin, so subtle and almost overpowered by the blood and the roses.

"There was no answer to my knock and the door was open," her voice drifted off, apologetically. He could see her eyes strain to see him. She bit her lip. "I…I've come in my father's stead," she added softly. She waited and gave a sigh of frustration at his decided lack of response.

_Drip._

His eyes widened as he noticed her clenched fists.

_Drip._

Was that…yes it was. Her life's essence was marking his home. The roses had done some damage. He moved silently along the shadows until he stood in front of her. He could see her startled gasp at seeing him this close. "You need to take care of this," he rasped softly against her ear as he reached for her hand. He let out a low growl when he encountered the warm slickness of her blood against his flesh. A fevered light entered his eyes.

* * *

She jumped away from him in her surprise, but he held her hand tightly and she winced at the slight lancing pain from her cut. She opened her mouth, to say something, anything, only to close it. What was there to say? What _could_ she say that wouldn't sound inane or stupid? She didn't even see him _move._ He was just there, suddenly, in front of her. She was in the home of a legendary killer and nothing, nothing in her life had prepared her for the sheer presence he exuded.

He wasn't a large man, but next to him, she had felt small and insignificant. He held her in one strong grip, preventing her futile attempts to move away. Her voice, which she was proud to say had held steady until this very moment, had deserted her and she could do nothing but stare at the dark eyes that hovered above her.

The shadows obscured most of his face, but his eyes, his eyes held a strange light as they gazed down at her. "I'm sorry I've made a mess of your floors," a thought escaped her lips. The moment the words were out of her mouth, she mentally slapped herself. _I'm sorry I've made a mess of your floors? _What was she thinking? Soon, if she lived through this, she would think back to this time and slap herself once more. Of all the things she thought to first say to him, she had to admit that what came out of her mouth never entered her thoughts. Until now that was. Her mind must have abandoned her for what else but that reason could have made her say such a thing? She must be—

Slowly, he raised her hand near his face and she watched him breathe in deeply as if to savor a scent. His eyes were closed, but his expression, or what she could see of his expression, was disturbing in its implications. In muted horror, she watched as his lips touched the palm of her hand and his tongue darted out to follow the trail of blood with a long, wet lick.

The touch of his tongue against her skin was hot, almost burning, as if it traced a line of fire against her cut. That unfamiliar heat seared her, jostled her from her inaction, and gave her the strength to violently push herself away from him. Adrenalin adding fuel to her panic, she was able to draw slightly back, until the only thing of his that touched her was his hand as he held hers in a fierce grip.

She felt goose bumps crawl up her skin as she stared at him aghast. There had been many variations to the myth of Battousai. One of them maintained that the killer was a blood-hungry monster in truth who used the chaos of the era to drench himself in the blood of humans. That particular story had been most effective in scaring little children to behave or Battousai would eat them alive. As children, she and her sisters had always laughed at the gullibility of their peers in believing those stories; but now, she wondered.

As she tugged and pulled at her hand, she wondered if her horse had been overly-optimistic. She wondered whether she herself had been overly optimistic in believing a horse's ramblings. She wondered if she'll die tonight, amidst the blood and chaos that dominated her mind.

"Stop," his voice crept up against her skin.

Still she tried to pull free. A futile effort, it seemed, but she had to try.

"Stop this nonsense at once," he demanded with a growl while he stepped towards her.

"Please let me go," she said frantically, unaware that she had been saying those exact words since she had started struggling.

With an impatient sound, she felt his hands let go of hers just before she stumbled on the floor. He stood over her, towered over her, as she tried to scramble to her feet. She could hear his ragged breathing, and feel his intense stare. Like her, he seemed to be in the grip on an internal battle.

_He's trying to decide whether to kill you, you idiot!_ she thought to herself in near hysterics. Her fevered imagination was taking hold of her senses. She had come prepared to lose her life so that her father and her family might live in peace. She had come prepared to meet her end at the edge of the Battousai's sword. It was an honorable way to die and she had come here willingly to meet her fate. She had expected and been prepared for a quick and clean death. What she was not prepared for was to have a monster see her as food. Gods! Would he tear her flesh to pieces before she died? What sort of monster was he?

* * *

Her terror, which moments ago had simmered just beneath the surface, surged forward and surrounded him like a warm wrap. The scent of it, along with her blood, played havoc with his carefully constructed control. He felt the beast move beneath his skin, seeking escape. He could almost see the fear-driven thoughts that danced through her mind as she gave him a look of alarm.

He had to calm her down or this would all be over soon. He never should have shown himself this night, never should have risked their encounter under the cover of darkness. Under the cloak of moonlight, the beast thrived and grew stronger. He knew she was bleeding, knew that her fear was a hairsbreadth away from taking over her senses.

But he had been…impatient. He had wanted to stand next to her and breathe in her essence. And now he was and that very fact threatened to steal his hard-won peace. Was this what the woman had reduced him to? An almost mindless being bent on flesh and blood?

He clenched his fist and slammed it between his eyes. He felt his own blood trickle down his face and onto the floor. _The beast would not escape tonight, _he thought, his amber eyes glittering with determination. Even as he felt it attempt to claw its way out of his skin, he repeated the thought. As some semblance of control returned, he wondered in the back of his mind if he had somehow orchestrated this dance with his beast. Without consciously knowing, had he wanted her to see him in the worst possible light now rather than later?

He needed to think, away from her and the temptation she offered to his senses.

* * *

"Your room is upstairs," he informed her in his low, distant voice.

What? Her room? Was this a joke? How could she have a room when she was so obviously going to die tonight?

And even if by some small chance she didn't, she could not stay here with him. He was a madman at best and a blood-thirsty killer at worst. She'll just have to go home. That's right. Her nice horse was going to take her home. He had to. Otherwise—

"Kaoru," his voice called to her, reached her in her panic-driven haze. "You are mine now, as you have taken your father's place."

Her father. Yes. Her father.

She felt her breathing slow down to a more even pace.

Her father. Her family.

Her reason for being here.

Right.

She looked up at him and found his outstretched hand towards her. "I'll show you to your room," his voice seemed… more soothing now. The fires in his eyes burned like a cool flame instead of a raging inferno. And somehow, his obviously forced serenity seemed to have a calming effect on her.

She felt her mind clearing. What had she been thinking? She couldn't escape even if she wanted to. Had she forgotten about those demented roses? Besides, she…she didn't want to escape. To do so might bring down unknown disasters to her family. She…if she wasn't to die tonight, then she was a prisoner here. She stared at his hand before slowly placing her left hand in it. She felt his fingers close over hers as he pulled her up.

The moment she stood steadily on her feet, he released her hand as if it burned him. "Follow me," he rasped as he turned his back to her and began to walk up the stairs.

She watched him walk away from her and envied the calm confidence he exuded. She looked back down at her hand, where his tongue had followed the trail of blood. Even now, in this cold night, she could still feel the heat that glided across her cut. She looked back up at the man who led her deeper into his home. _There was no turning back now, right?_ she asked herself even as her feet began to climb the stairs.

She heard the door to the outside close behind her and shuddered at the reverberating sound. Her left hand, which glided across the railing, tightened its grip momentarily before she proceeded to follow Battousai. He stopped in front of one of the closed doors and waited at her slow progress.

"This will be your room," he stated, opening the door. He didn't come inside; rather, he stood rigidly by the doorway and gestured for her to come in.

Not seeing any other choice in the matter, she walked passed him and entered the room. Her movements were stilted and self-conscious. She could feel his eyes follow her intently. As for her, her own eyes could barely see through the darkness despite the moon outside her window. And that was perfectly alright. She wasn't sure if she was up to seeing him in the full light of day, anyway. Not knowing where else to look and trying to avoid his gaze as much as she could, she gazed at the crescent moon. She wondered if Megumi stared at this same moon tonight.

"Do I…" his voice sounded from behind her, "do I have your promise that you will stay here with me?"

She wondered what Misao thought of all of this.

"Do I have your word that you will stay here with me?" he repeated, a touch of impatience tinged his voice this time.

She turned to him slowly. "I…" she started, only to pause. Did he have her word? Could she give her word to stay here? Not to escape when an opportunity presented itself?

Her mind wandered back to her family, before she gave him a steady look. "You have my word," she whispered, feeling it echo in her mind. Upon hearing herself say those words, she would swear that invisible threads seem to tie themselves around her, as if literally to bind her to her word.

She heard him let out a sigh. Of relief? Perhaps.

"Then," he said, "welcome to your new home." At that, he closed the door and left her alone.

She stared at the closed door, her teeth clenched.

_Welcome to your new home._

She didn't want a new home. Her old home had been perfect.

_Welcome to your new home._

It had her father, her sisters, her friends, and her neighbors.

_Welcome to your new home._

It had love and laughter that echoed within the walls.

_Welcome to your new home._

It had the smell of Megumi's cooking in the morning, the sound of Misao's antics in the backyard, and the sight of her father practicing at the dojo.

She felt her legs collapse beneath her as she continued to stare at the door.

_Welcome to your new home._

Her new home. Without her family.

And, before her eyes closed in exhaustion, she wondered…she wondered if she would live to see the year.

To be continued


	5. Chapter Five: First Night

Author's notes: so sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. The holidays have exhausted me and after that, I've pretty much decided to be a lazy bum for the time being. I've got no excuses.

The following is a list of things which will be explained in detail by the end of the story: a) the role of the rurouni-like horse; b) the Battousai/beast character; c) the freaky rose garden; d) Battousai's visions. I have the answers to these questions in my outline, so, I can safely promise that if you stick with me to the very end of this, all will eventually be revealed. Now, as for the timeliness of these answers…that I cannot guarantee )

Please note the rating change for this fanfic. I've done this as a precaution. I'm not quite sure as to where the line is between PG-13 and R. I've seen some PG-13 movies which I though should have been R and I've seen a LOT of R movies in which I thought the rating could have been a PG-13, so I though I would err in the side of over-rating instead of under rating.

As usual, I would like to thank all reviewers for taking the time to leave wonderful comments. I really do appreciate the time you've taken to encourage me to write more. It's a wonderful inspiration to know that people enjoy my writing. I hope some of the questions you've had were answered.

Happy reading.

* * *

**Roses in Winter: a Fairytale Revisited - A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction**

**_Chapter Five: First Night_**

He ran.

No other words could describe his undue haste to let himself out of her sight. As soon as he closed the door to her room, he ran. Away from the sight of her wary eyes and trembling lips. Away from the intoxicating scent of her blood and the heady aura of fear. Just away from the very temptation she represented.

But, as he ran through the candle-lit halls of his home, he stumbled near the top of the staircase. His eyes glazed over as his nose caught the whiff of the fresh blood that anointed the floors by the entrance to his home. Icy fingers ran down his spine and his head instinctively turned towards the source.

He could see it, down the stairs, the way the light of the moon reflected dully off its surface. His fists tightened as he tried to will himself away from the stairs and back towards his own quarters. In his mind, he tried to envision himself walking slowly towards his rooms and gently locking the door. He envisioned himself padding softly towards his bed and stopping at its foot. And, in this ideal world, he would have conquered this beast and stayed within the confines of his own space.

Instead, as if entranced, he staggered down the stairs and towards the heady scent. His body moved on its own accord, his mind barely aware of his own actions. He was guided by instinct, led by hunger. In a distant part of his consciousness, a rationalization took place.

He had been good. So good. He deserved this reward. Did he not stop his feeding when she had requested? Did he not escort her to her room for her protection? His nostrils flared when he reached the end of the blood trail, where the blood was most fresh. He could still taste the coppery residue of her warmth on the tip of his tongue. He felt his knees buckle and his eyes closed as his mind pictured the memory of her life essence dripping slowly into his mouth. The phantom feel of her rapid pulse beating against his lips played with his memory. In an almost gesture of obeisance, he crouched down to the ground as his tongue stroked the remaining droplets of blood off the floor. And, just as easily, the small control he had used to hold the beast in check quickly dissipated.

As he felt his skin stretch and his muscles shift, his last coherent thought was that it wasn't enough.

_Not enough._

* * *

_Kaoru ran. _

_From what, she wasn't sure. All she knew was a dreaded sense of urgency. Of fear. Of self-preservation. Her mind whispered to her of danger; she was prey to an unknown predator. Someone . . . some_thing_ was chasing her, wearing her down as she ran blindly through the darkness of the forest. She could hear the unnatural thump of his steps on the fallen leaves of the ground behind her. She would swear that she could smell the musky scent of his presence as her rising fear called to him like a beacon. But most of all, she would swear that she could feel the warmth of his breath behind her neck as he reached out for her…_

_And so she ran. She ran until her whole body ached and until the mere act of lifting her legs to take that extra step was endurance in itself. They were so heavy! And she was so tired. Exhausted even. She knew neither the distance nor the time since she began, but she could feel her body protest at her exertions. She could hear the raggedness of her own breathing. Her throat burned and she felt her stomach heave. _

_Where could she go that he would not follow? Where could she hide that he would not see? He was bigger, stronger, faster. _

_She cried out as she felt a branch scrape her face._

_She had to pay more attention. Watch where she's going._

_She had to run. _

_She had to keep running._

_If he caught her…if he caught her, she might not live to see the day._

* * *

He was running back home when he regained a conscious sense of self. He was aware of his body and its movements as he made his way back to the lair. He could feel the strain in his muscles and feel his labored breathing.

As well as he had hunted this night, a part of him welcomed the sight of his home. Within a few leaps, he reached the entrance to his quarters. He slumped in exhaustion against the balcony doors of his rooms and began to feel the age-old shift within his body take place. His keen vision blurred just as he began to see the familiar distortion in his skin, the unnatural stretching that triggers the change. Had he been capable at that moment, he would have given a mirthless laugh at the sight he made. Instead, he grunted in pain at the feel of straining muscles and twisting organs. He grimaced at the sound of crackling bones and popping joints as he collapsed on his back on the stone cold earth, his body convulsing violently, spasmodically. He let out an exhausted breath. Although strenuous in itself, the change back to humanity had always been easier. He had learned from experience to give up control over his body and allow it to transform at will once the process began. To fight the change, whether from beast or humanity, resulted in a more violent and painful end.

Wearily, he stared hazily at the stars in the night sky and attempted to gather his bearings. His mouth tasted of blood and fur and meat. He winced at the memory of ripping flesh, of gushing red warmth, and of a heart that slowly stopped beating. The animal he had caught to satisfy the blood lust had been in his prime. The chase had been wild, fast, and all-too quick for his liking.

He took a deep breath as the spasms across his body subsided. He began to feel the small scratches and minor bruises that usually resulted from his single-mindedness at the hunt. This time, the blood lust had so consumed him that he had barely made it out of her room in one form. The scent of blood and fear had been…intoxicating. In the end, only the thrill of the hunt, the hot rush of blood and meat, and the inevitable kill and consumption had brought him out of his mindless haze.

Slowly, he pushed his aching body up, taking comfort at the sight of his pale flesh against the moonlight. The wind whispered a gentle reminder of his unclothed state but he barely shivered in response. It was a chilly night, but the warm trickle of slime and unnamed fluids that slid down his body provided adequate protection. The change was a messy event, no doubt about it.

He carefully opened the balcony doors that led to his rooms, his movements graceful and unself-conscious. The mirror called to him. _She_ called to him. Even now, in his depleted state, he could still feel the stirrings of…a different hunger. Rejuvenated by the thought of her, he purposely entered his rooms.

* * *

_She tripped. _

_Even with all her training from her father, she tripped clumsily over her own feet. Her tiredness made itself felt as her body slammed into the ground. Her instincts were off and she failed to brace herself for the fall. The shock of the sudden impact so stunned her that it took a few minutes for the taste of dirt and dried leaves to register in her consciousness. Awkwardly, she lifted herself up and spat on the ground. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, wincing at the grainy feel of soil against her lips. The damp smell of earth and decaying leaves were stronger after having tasted it. All around her, she was reminded of death. At this time of the year, even nature was dying._

_And so was she if she did not get up quickly enough. She felt a gentle breeze brush her hair and rustle the leaves around her. She heard the soft fall of footsteps come closer. Their gait was unnatural, inhuman almost in its rhythm. With a gasp of a cornered prey, she quickly turned to look behind her and saw..._

_Nothing._

_Nothing but the tumble of dead leaves and the tangling branches of unnamed trees. Nothing but the moonlit path she had woven in her escape. _

_Confused, she slowly stood up to look around her. Her eyes narrowing at any perceived movements of the forest, no matter how slight. A stillness crept around her, as though the very air itself halted all motion._

_He's near. He _must _be. He had been so close._

_In her mind she had felt the slight brush of his fingertips against her back as she ran. If he had been that close, where was he?_

* * *

It was still dark when he ventured to look at her.

The ancient mirror stood in one side, hidden in the shadows, just beyond the border that any light in his room touched. Its larger than life frame stood almost as tall as the ceilings. The ornate carvings that twisted around the borders were so intricately designed that one would swear life pulsed through the figures.

He gave his reflection a wry, self-mocking grin. Of course, life _did_ pulse through the mirror. It had pulsed since long before he had lived, and he was sure it will remain pulsing long after his own life force would have left this earth. Without further ado, he raised his hand to touch the glass, feeling the cold and solid surface against his palm. He watched as the mirror responded to his unsaid desire, his reflection wavering as circles rippled from his touch and propagated. The now cool liquid seemed to envelope his hand as a new image formed in the surface, overtaking his reflection. He leaned his face closer, his warm breath causing more ripples through the surface as he stared intently beyond the gold flecks of his irises. Immediately, his vision focused and found what he was searching for.

Her room was bathed in soft, moonlight beams that pierced through her bay windows. So still was the night that it took him a moment to find her. She wasn't on her bed where he had expected her, nor was she by the door as he had then thought. Instead, she was curled up on the cold, hard floor, fast asleep. Her hands clasped each other beneath her chin, as if holding onto a lifeline.

He frowned as he noticed what had to be an uncomfortable position to both sleep and wake up from. Almost without thought, his hand pushed its way through the mirror, reaching out to her. Silently, he stepped into her room and padded softly until he stood before the sleeping figure. His mouth twisted as he leaned down to examine her more closely. The shadows of gnarled trees danced across her tear-streaked face as she slept fitfully.

An almost oppressive stillness clung to the air as he watched her deep and even breathing from the rise and fall of her chest. Crouching, he deftly lifted her up in his arms, taking care not to jostle her to wakefulness. The scent of jasmine permeated his senses as his quick and efficient strides led him to the side of her bed where he gently laid her to rest.

He watched as she murmured unintelligible words and phrases against the pillow. A frown marred her arched brows

* * *

"_Where are you?" she whispered, uncertain whether she really wanted to know the answer. _

_No answer was forthcoming. _

_She shivered, and she knew that it had nothing to do with the cold. The woods turned eerily silent and that very silence was making her skin crawl. She felt the air thicken and she struggled to steady her breath._

"_Where are you?" she whispered again, even more softly this time. She drew her arms around her and looked furtively to her sides._

_She could not be alone. Could she? For what seemed like hours, she sat there, staring at the darkness. _

_He was just there. Right behind her. Wasn't he? _

_Carefully, she shook herself of the leaves that clung to her kimono as she stood up. The stillness of the night was almost as unnerving as the chase. At least while she ran, she had no thought of where she was, or anything else for that matter. The only thing on her mind was the need to escape. Now, as she looked around her, she wondered to herself. How exactly did she get here? _

_She glanced back to the path she wove in her haste to escape. A mist was beginning to form, starting from the grounds beyond her and making its ways slowly where she stood. Blinking rapidly, she could almost see the signs of her presence. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed a broken twig here there, evidence of her passage. Furthermore, she noticed small fabrics from her kimono hanging from the shrubs. A slight cry of distress escaped her lips as the patterns in her kimono became evident to her. _

_This was her favorite kimono!_

_She frowned. _

_What was she doing wearing a kimono at a time like this?_

* * *

She muttered a sigh under her breath as her body moved restlessly on top of the covers. Here, under the cover of moonlight, he took a careful inventory of her features for the first time. Her eyes were closed, but he knew that her thick lashes hid the same blue orbs that looked pleadingly at him in his visions. In sleep, she looked more peaceful. Calmer, yet more vulnerable. Her visage lacked the edge of fear that was in evidence during their encounter earlier. Only her flushed cheeks were a testament to her previous struggles.

He expelled a quick breath of relief. Without her fear feeding upon the hunting instincts of the beast, he had a tighter rein of control. It helped that he had fed well this night already and the beast curled within him like a satisfied jungle cat. Without thought, his finger traced a line across her cheek, leaving a trail of grime in its wake. His eyes widened once he saw the marks he made; marks that greatly resembled his own. Cursing under his breath, he watched as her head tossed slowly from side to side, her dark hair contrasting starkly against the pale blue hues of the pillow. Her tresses spread around her like the dark halo of a fallen angel.

He longed to touch it. To feel its softness run through his hands. To have it tangled through his fingers as he pulls her head down and…

_Mine._

That unbidden thought entered his mind and he felt himself step back from the girl. He knew she was his. The moment he saw her in his visions, he had known a sense of entitlement. This woman would never leave his side. He would forbid it.

He looked outside, beyond the castle grounds. Even her words bound her to him. A grim little smile curled upon his lips. He knew a sense of peace that settled upon his chest when he extracted those words of promise from her lips. She would stay with him for as long as he decreed.

His eyes went back to her form when he heard her move restlessly in her sleep. He could hear every stroke and caress of her skin against the silken sheets as she shifted her weight from side to side. Approaching the bed slowly, he once again stared at the sleeping girl. The rhythm of her heart picked up. He could almost see her pulse throb wildly against the side of her neck. Before he could stop himself, he reached out towards her and let his fingers press gently against that erratic beat.

An indiscernible moan made its way past his throat. Life throbbed beneath his fingertips. Her life. Her blood. Unable to help himself, he leaned forward, feeling a rumble escape from his lips as his mouth replaced his fingers. He closed his eyes at the feel of her pulse beneath his tongue. Once again, the smell of jasmine wrapped itself around him as he breathed in her fragrance.

A low mumble escaped her lips.

* * *

_The mist was getting thicker, turning into a dense fog. Within moments, she could barely see in front of her let alone the path she took. The wild beating of her heart throbbed against her ears as her breathing became shallower, harsher. Cautiously, she took a step back and then another. She could hear the crack of leaves beneath her feet, feel the stones give way beneath her weight. _

_He was playing with her._

_He had to be. _

_How else could she explain his sudden disappearance? She could still remember the feel of his breath behind her, the touch of his fingers on her back._

_He had been so close…how could she have escaped? She looked down at herself. Especially with this kimono and wooden sandals. What _had _she been thinking? She looked back up again, back to the quickly disappearing trail she had left. Was she borrowing trouble by looking for him? Should she instead thank the gods for her good luck at evading him?_

_Her eyes began to water from her efforts to see beyond the fog. Try as she might, she could not convince herself of her good fortune. It could not have been this easy to evade the one that hunted her. Once more, she took a step back, still staring at the now non-existent trail she left. Unconsciously drawing her hair away from her face, she took one last look at the spot she came from before bracing herself to run at full speed once more._

_She just had to look once more. Just to make sure. _

_And, as she turned back to resume her escape, she felt herself yanked back as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her and lift her from the ground. Glancing down quickly, she could see the elongate claws that wrapped around her waste. She could feel the well-muscled arms, too rough with hair to belong to a human. Her mind let out a silent scream as her legs flailed wildly while her own arms remained trapped beneath the tight grip of her captor. _

_The beast would tear her to pieces. She knew it. Hot tears burned beneath her eyes as she struggled fruitlessly against her fate. She did not want to die. She didn't!_

Megumi! _her mind screamed, entreating to the sister who had tried to protect her. _

Father!_ In desperation, she called to the man who had sheltered her from the cruelties of the world. _

"_Please," she sobbed softly. Her breath knocked out of her body, she let out a belated gasp just before she felt his warm lips against her throat. "Please no!" she screamed against her captor._

Her eyes opened at the sound of her scream. She could still hear it, ringing in her ears, echoing in the room. She could feel her parched throat, sore from disuse.

_A dream,_ she thought, letting out a sigh of relief. _Just a dream. _She burrowed herself in the bed and stared at the ceiling as she attempted to get her bearings. The trip-hammer beat of her heart was slowing down to a more relaxed pace and her breathing was becoming more even. Her body was once again beginning to relax, getting ready to send her off to sleep. She snuggled against the soft pillows beneath her when something nagged at her consciousness.

Abruptly, she sat up, disoriented at the unfamiliar feel of the bed beneath her. Ignoring her lethargy, she looked around her.

Where was she?

And just like that, the memory of the past few days slammed into her consciousness, bringing her back to the present. She remembered her father, arriving at the dojo in such a sad state. She remembered that horse…that knowing horse that had looked at her with kindness beneath his lavender gaze. She remembered her father's story, his plight, his reprieve from Battousai. She could still hear Megumi behind the paper rice door, entreating her to stay. Images jumbled together in her mind. She could see the rose her father brought home with him, the roses she encountered in the cursed gardens. She remembered the shadow of Battousai, the feel of his mouth on her wrist.

She choked back a sob as she held her wrist against her. She didn't want to remember, she didn't want to think. She had to be strong. For her family. Struggling for control of her emotions, she sought for ways to distract herself from her situation. Anything…anything at all.

She looked around in the darkness until her eyes settled on the decor of the room, noting the mixture of eastern and western designs. She glanced at the bay windows, her only source of light at the moment, before looking back down at herself.

How did she get into this bed?

The last thing she remembered was staring at the door. She looked to her side and noted the closed door. She had been thinking of her family and wallowing in…she winced. She had been wallowing in self-pity. She sighed. She must have woken up some time in the night and crawled into this bed. She looked down on the floor, noting the inordinately high platform where the bed rested.

She made a move to stand up, to get out of bed, when she gave a grimace of pain. Her muscles were sore. Probably a result of riding for days. She groaned as she stretched out her arms. She let out a yawn. She was also so tired. It was as if she herself had truly run as much as her dream suggested. Perhaps sleep was the best thing for her at this point. She looked back up to the door before hastily looking away. Perhaps sleep would help her escape her thoughts. Just for now. Anything was better than dwelling on her present circumstances.

She felt a warm tingle touch the side of her neck and her hand reached up to touch the spot. The scent of musk and pine needles wafted around her. Remembering her dream, she began to wonder whether sleep would do her any good. Again, she gave another yawn and felt her eyes become heavier. She felt her thoughts become hazier, less organized. She was so tired. Very tired. She really did need the rest.

* * *

He watched from the mirror as her fingers brushed against her neck. He shivered in response at the memory of feeling her life force throb beneath his tongue. He had barely leapt out of her presence and out of the room before she had awakened. Not for the first time, he cursed his lack of control when it came to this female. He, more than anyone, should know what a slip like that could cost.

Still, he watched as her lids drooped and her body succumbed to exhaustion. She needed sleep, especially after her journey. Once he was satisfied that she would remain in slumber for the rest of the night, he took himself away from the mirror and headed towards the doors that led to his balcony.

Sleep would elude him this night, he knew. His body was too tense, too alert after his little visit. Despite the ache in his muscles and the exhaustion that accompanied the hunt, he was once again restless. And so, he stood by the glass doors of his balcony and waited for the sunrise.

To be continued.


End file.
